Aquarium Water Smell Help?!

[agent1207]

Any tips on reducing aquarium water smell.
I currently feed frozen shrimp, and change water 50% at best every few days. The smell is in the water I am assuming due to the food as these are large fish, there is no left over food.
It doesn't smell too bad but there is a watery fish scent that I would like to get rid of while maintaining on feeding this food.

My other aquarium has a pleasant smell that smells almost like flowers but is much smaller.

Is carbon a good option? What other options?

 

[Kolton13]

personally, i'd do bigger water changes and add a fan to help, 50% is good but if it's that strong i'd do a little more.

 

[agent1207]

personally, i'd do bigger water changes and add a fan to help, 50% is good but if it's that strong i'd do a little more.

The scent isnt strong, just not that nice its hard to explain. Similar to the scent of the frozen shrimp when u thaw it out.

Yeah I have been doing a mixture of 65-50% never any larger than 70%.

 

[Kolton13]

This is a dumb question, but when was the last time you cleaned your filters?? Happens to me if I don’t clean them every week.

 

[tlindsey]

I never heard of a aquarium smelling like a flower. A well balanced aquarium will have a light earthy smell. I have large fish but don't feed them everyday because they will be healthier imo. Do consistent proper water changes , gravel vac, and keep filter maintained like stated. I personally don't use carbon unless I wanted to remove meds. Carbon just mask the issue so smelly water is a indicator that something is not right. It could be something simple like a food that gives off a odor or something more serious like your filtration is not sufficient enough to handle the bioload.

 

[esoxlucius]

Yeah, +1 on toms post. A well maintained healthy aquarium should have a warm moist earthy smell, mine reminds me of the smell from my compost heap when i'm digging for worms. Funny smells can be attributed to imbalances in bio waste breakdown from overfeeding, dead fish, decaying plant matter etc.

Also, and I suspect this could be your problem, foods high in protein, such as your shrimp can release oils that float on the surface (protein film). These can cause iffy smells too.

 

[MrsE88]

Also check around lids and lip of the tank to be sure no food is getting caught up there and giving off any smell.

 

[Jacob92677]

Also check around lids and lip of the tank to be sure no food is getting caught up there and giving off any smell.

+1
Give it a good wipe down
I feed similar and need to be careful when it comes to the stinky stuff

 

[dr exum]

chemipureblue?

not sure your into that, but claim to help with bio Odor